“I was bored just waiting for Miss Eldeiz, so I made some tea first. You’re not going to scold me for using a bit of tea leaves in the research room, are you?”

“……”

Serena narrowed her eyes lazily and turned the teacup around.

“Hmm… But this teacup looks a bit cheap and tacky. Throw it away. I’ll buy you a prettier and more luxurious one next time. It’s fortunate that it’s me, it would be embarrassing to serve guests with something like this, right?”

She smiled, curving her eyes, and set down the teacup with a clatter. Aris was speechless for a while, then finally responded.

“Why are you in my research room?”

“I was curious about your research room, Miss Eldeiz. So I came to see it.”

“I mean, why did you come without my permission?”

“Why, you ask? We agreed to be like friends, didn’t we?”

“……”

“You’re not… angry, are you? That would make me a bit sad.”

Serena gestured to the seat opposite her with a friendly smile.

“I’m doing this because I want to get closer to you, Lady Eldeiz. Come, sit down here. I’ve prepared your tea too.”

Aris was dumbfounded seeing Serena act as if this was her own home. Should she point out her rudeness and kick her out? Or should she scold her for entering without permission?

After thinking coolly, Aris sat down opposite her.

‘This person is probably hoping I’ll react that way, which is why she’s behaving like this.’

Then she would brush it off with a shameless smile and a cheap apology, and repeat this kind of harassment next time.

So responding sharply would only reveal to this person that she’s upset. Besides, Serena isn’t the type to leave nicely even if told to.

If you’re going to act like this. I won’t play along either.

“I was actually planning to invite you over for tea, Miss Frencia. I didn’t expect you to come directly like this. Good morning.”

“Oh my… Really? I guess we’re a bit in sync.”

Aris smiled brightly in response to Serena’s strange smile. She looked at Aris with a worried gaze.

“But you look a bit haggard this morning, did something happen last night? Have some tea to relieve your fatigue.”

Serena poured tea into the cup in front of her. Aris stared blankly at the tea.

‘To think I’m having tea time alone with this person. It reminds me of unpleasant memories…’

Although she felt nauseous, Aris tried hard to hide her feelings and looked at the teacup. She examined it, wondering if anything had been done to it, and sure enough, there were traces of magic.

‘What has she done this time?’

Aris lifted the teacup and looked at the swirling tea. She lightly tapped the teacup with her finger, unnoticeably, and the magic easily dissolved. The color of the tea, which had looked normal, instantly changed to a deep hue.

Aris almost let out a hollow laugh.

‘With just this level of magic…’

This person, how lightly had she been taking me?

Though it’s confidential, Aris’s magical talent was far superior to Serena Frencia’s.

Even if Serena Frencia’s skills in combat magic were overwhelmingly better due to her extensive training, Aris was superior in all other aspects.

Aris smoothed out her expression that was about to crumple. Hadn’t Serena Frencia looked down on her and done such things even when she was the Empress?

‘I understand. The past me was really foolish.’

Aris stroked the teacup with her thumb again, using elemental magic. The murky color of the tea became clear, turning into ordinary water. Aris brought the tea to her lips.

“I’ll enjoy it, Miss Frencia.”

Serena smiled and stared intently at Aris. After taking a sip of tea, Aris looked at Serena with wide eyes.

“Miss Frencia, the taste of the tea…”

“Yes? Is there a problem?”

Serena showed an exaggerated expression as if asking what was wrong. Aris pulled the corners of her mouth into a bright smile.

“No, it’s just that the tea tastes really good! It’s so rich and fragrant.”

“…It tastes good?”

“Yes, why do you ask?”

Aris tilted her head with an innocent face. Blinking her eyes, she truly seemed puzzled by Serena’s stiff response. Then Aris looked at Serena’s teacup and slightly opened her mouth.

“Ah, Miss Frencia’s teacup is empty too. Since you’ve served me such delicious tea, let me fill yours this time.”

“No, Miss Eldeiz…”

Serena looked at her empty teacup with a bewildered gaze.

When did I finish my tea? I’m sure I set aside a full cup of normal tea for myself.

Before Serena could refuse, Aris picked up the enchanted teapot and filled Serena’s cup to the brim. She poured so generously that it seemed it would overflow if she added just a bit more.

Aris lifted the teapot with both hands and smiled brightly.

“But didn’t you say you used tea leaves from my research room? I don’t have tea of this color in my room…”

“That can’t be. I found it in a corner.”

Serena managed to hide her confusion. She looked at the tea she had deliberately enchanted to taste foul. It was simple enough, she just needed to dispel the magic.

Serena naturally hid one hand under the table and cast a spell. However…

‘…What’s going on? The magic won’t dispel.’

She tried several more times. But the magic on the tea wouldn’t budge. When she was about to slightly furrow her brow at this baffling situation, an innocent voice came from across the table.

“Miss Frencia? Your face suddenly darkened… Are you alright?”

Looking up, she saw Aristena looking at her with concerned eyes.

‘…I just won’t drink it then.’

Serena gave up on trying to remove the magic and smiled at Aris.

“I just remembered something else. It’s nothing.”

“That’s a relief. We parted ways without saying goodbye when we were students… Have you been well since then? Oh, let me prepare some cookies before hearing your story!”

She apologized for not properly hosting and hurriedly brought out some snacks to go with the tea.

Serena watched the chattering woman as she put down the cookie plate and sat back down across from her.

Stupid woman. Does she really think I came here just to chitchat?

Inwardly mocking her, Serena smiled willingly and engaged in the conversation.

“I heard you became an honorary scholar, Miss Eldeiz. Congratulations.”

“Thank you for the congratulations, Miss Frencia.”

“I’ve also been appointed as the captain of the Magic Knight Order. Well, it’s nothing compared to you, Miss Eldeiz. You’ve managed to enter the imperial palace as a magic scholar.”

Despite belittling her insignificant job and magical talent that couldn’t even make it onto the official mage list, Aristena just smiled and thanked her for the compliment.

“I’m a bit embarrassed. Thank you for saying so, Miss Frencia.”

“……”

To be honest, this time Serana expected her to get angry at her rudeness, but Aristena was all smiles.

Has she become even more stupid since I last saw her? Surpassing her expectations by far, Serena felt what little goodwill she had left draining away.

‘…I wondered why she rejected the fiancée position that even I couldn’t get, was it because she’s stupid?’

While continuing the conversation that was little more than a waste of time, Serena unconsciously picked up a cookie and ate it. Then, crunch, she chewed and swallowed the cookie.

At that moment, her mouth dried up as if the cookie had sucked out all the moisture. She coughed reflexively. Aris widened her eyes in surprise.

“Miss Frencia? What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing…”

Her mouth was so dry it was as if a drought had hit, and she could barely speak.

Flustered, Serena unknowingly picked up the teacup, then suddenly remembered what kind of tea it was. She hurriedly tried to dispel the magic again, but it still didn’t work.

Seeing Serena’s face turn pale, Aris tilted her head. Serena put down the teacup and abruptly stood up.

“Uh… Where are you going so suddenly?”

“I just… remembered an urgent matter, I have to go!”

Suppressing the urge to cough, Serena squeezed out her voice and rushed out of the research room.

Looking at the door that hadn’t even closed properly, Aris feigned a puzzled expression before smirking.

‘She must have thought I was stupid.’

She didn’t know who the real fool was.

Aris dispelled all the magic on the cookies and tea at once. Then she reached out and picked up the teacup and teapot that Serena had contaminated.

Remembering Serena’s comments about the teacup, her mood soured. How dare she arbitrarily judge something that held memories of her shared purchase with Belle. Aris gritted her teeth as she scrubbed the teacup clean and put it away out of sight.